Couples' Weeks Part 3: Everlark Week
by SassySunshine
Summary: The third and final part of the Couples' Weeks thing. This comes after Mericcup Week, and prompts are from the Prompts in Panem Tumblr. Enjoy the Everlark!
1. Day 1: School Days

**Day 1 of Everlark Week. Here you go :)**

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**Everlark Week  
Day 1: School Days**

Peeta watches from the corner of his eye when Katniss comes into the room. She wears her usual expression; you'd never be able to tell that four years ago to the date, her father was blown to bits in a mine explosion. She sinks into her seat without so much as a glance toward everyone else as she slings her backpack onto her chair.

…

He watches her throughout the day. He watches when she redoes her braid, when she starts on her homework during their free period, when she sits with only Madge Undersee at lunch. He watches them make small talk over anything but the mine explosion.

…

History class is the worst class for everyone. Changes are made to the textbooks almost yearly, but the majority of it stays the same. All of the years after the mine explosion, learning about it was throw into the curriculum. The class sits through a presentation on the explosion, and the names of the deceased parents are read. Peeta is the only one to acknowledge Katniss.

A small, insecure glare is sent in response.

…

The next day, Katniss comes into class earlier than usual. Peeta watches her trudge to her desk and toss her backpack onto the back of the chair, like always. It takes Peeta a few seconds to notice the fresh cut running across her forehead. Her long bangs cover most of it, but Peeta still feels a pang of concern.

_Her mom is a healer. Her sister is good at healing. She was probably just in the woods again._

…

In math, the teacher decides everyone needs a partner and work with them today. Katniss sits in the back by herself. She doesn't bother to get up or even look around the room for the partner. Soon enough, everybody has grabbed a partner except for Katniss…and Peeta.

"Hey," Peeta says quietly, walking up to her. "You don't have a partner, and, ah…"

Katniss doesn't say anything. Peeta sighs and pulls in a chair.

"Not like we have a choice."

…

"She didn't speak a word to me. She worked all by herself. I tried, Delly."

"Did you really think she would have?"

"I thought since we really didn't have a choice for partners…"

"Peeta, the only person she really makes any sort of contact with is Madge. Madge isn't in your math class. Therefore, Katniss was going to work alone. Sorry."

…

"Primrose Everdeen!"

The crowd falls silent. Peeta's eyes find twelve-year-old Prim as she makes her way slowly through the crowd. He watches while she tucks in her shirt. And then he hears her sister cry out. _It was inevitable, wasn't it?_

"I volunteer! I volunteer!"

She pushes aside Peacekeepers.

"I volunteer as tribute!"

Peeta watches Katniss reassure her sister everything will be fine, and then walk up onto the stage while Gale Hawthorne brings Prim to Mrs. Everdeen. The Capitol escort, Effie Trinket, makes small comments before moving on to reaping the boys.

"Peeta Mellark!"

_Wait a minute…that's me._

All of his friends eye him as he makes his way up the stairs to the stage. He shakes hands with Katniss, and their eyes meet. _This is not going to be like any of those school days._


	2. Day 2: A Day in the Life

**Everlark Week  
Day 2: A Day in the Life of the Mellark Brothers**

The first sensation Peeta is aware of is pain. With a grunt, he pushes up from the floor and peers over his bed. His eyes squint in the brightness of the room to find Taft standing over him, arms crossed.

"Get up."

"It's not even five yet!"

"Mom and Dad had to go downtown this morning. They'll be there most of the day. That means you're in the back with Naan while I run the front," Taft snaps. "Now get up, get dressed, and get your butt in the kitchen." Taft slams the door. Peeta sighs and stands up, inspecting himself for any slivers or bruises. Once he's done with his inspection, he gets dressed in a t-shirt and pants before heading down to the kitchen.

"There you are," Naan says. "Where have you been?"

"Sleeping. And then Taft pushed me onto the floor," Peeta replies.

"Well how were we supposed to wake you up?"

Peeta sighs at his older brother.

"What do I have to do today?"

"Three cakes need frosting. I've already baked them. They're cooling. The vanilla cake is the one that's probably the coolest. That's where you want to start. They want it really floral. Bright colors. Get on it."

Peeta shakes his head as he heads toward the counter to start icing them.

…

_I'm finally done._ Peeta sits down and rubs his cramping hand.

"Peeta!" Taft shouts from the front. Peeta groans.

"What?"

"Run the front! I need to run out with Talon and Heron!"

"But Mom and Dad said—"

"I'm older than you!"

…

It's almost closing by now. Peeta goes to turn the sign on the door to "closed" when he notices movement outside of the front window. He squints his eyes and then realizes that it's Primrose Everdeen and Katniss Everdeen. Katniss lingers a few feet behind the blonde girl as she looks at the cakes in the window. Peeta smiles at the sight.

_One day I will come up with a way to tell Katniss that I love her. At least I get to see her when Prim drags her by._

"Peeta! Get the Seam scum out of here!" Naan yells from the kitchen. "They can't afford it, they can't look at it!"

Peeta turns and scowls.

_Just another day in the life of the Mellark brothers._


	3. Day 3: The Wrestling Championship

**Everlark Week  
Day 3: The Wrestling Championship**

"Listen here, Peeta."

"Whoa—"

Peeta gasps as he's slammed back against the school lockers. He finds himself looking into Taft's eyes.

"You're gonna let me win this competition. I've got seven girls to impress today and I'm not gonna make a fool of myself in front of them by losing to my little brother."

"I have a girl to impress too, you know," Peeta says. He gasps again as Taft pushes harder against his ribcage.

"I've got seven. Six more than you. I'll be the entire joke of my year if you show me up. You want to impress scum. It doesn't matter if you fail this, Peeta. It matters if I do, however. So, you're gonna let me win this. You don't have a choice here. You beat me today, I'll beat you every day for the rest of your life. We understood here?"

Taft pushes Peeta back one more time before he goes down to the gymnasium. Peeta sighs, slumping down against the lockers to catch his breath. If there's one thing Peeta was looking forward to _before_ he found out his opponent, it was the wrestling championship. He could finally show Katniss he's more than just a baker. He could prove his strength. Then Peeta was told his opponent would be the younger of his older brothers, Taft.

_It was only a matter of time before he decided to try and blackmail me into losing on purpose. _

Peeta pushes up from the floor and heads down to the locker room. He finds that it's empty. Taft is already warming up in the gym.

_How bad can beating him really be? I have the strength to fight back if he tries to attack me…_

…

"I know how shy Everdeen is," Taft hisses as he grabs me in a headlock. I backwards kick his leg and send us both flying to the ground.

"I'll tell the whole school you're in love with her if you win this thing, and I'll make sure she knows it could've easily been prevented."

I glare at Taft.

"Fine," I hiss back at him as he pins me down. The referee calls time ten seconds later, and Taft is announced the victor of the championship. He gives me a smirk over his shoulder as his buddies hoist him off to celebrate. My friends can only shake their heads at me. I find Katniss in the crowd. Her eyes meet mine for a fraction of a second before she looks away.


	4. Day 4: The Victory Tour

**Everlark Week  
Day 4: The Victory Tour**

"What do you mean…there's a rebellion brewing?" Peeta asks hesitantly. I rock back and forth on the balls of my feet, forcing myself to look Peeta in the eyes. They stare back at me with hurt.

"Do you remember when we…_I_ pulled the berries, back in the arena?"

Peeta nods slowly.

"Well…the president visited me the day the Victory Tour started. You know how a lot of the people saw the berries as us not being able…to…you know…live without each other?"

Peeta stares back at me, eyes motioning for me to go on.

"President Snow…he wasn't _convinced_ that it wasn't an act…on my part, anyway. He had no problem…believing your side of it. It's my side he wants proof from. There's a growing rebellion and he says it began the minute I pulled the berries. A lot of people saw it as rebellion, rather than a crazy girl in love. He wants me – us, now – to quell the rebellion before it begins."

"Why wasn't I told straight-forward? That stunt back in 11 cost people their lives, Katniss. I could have avoided it if someone just _informed me_ instead of hiding this! What else has been going on that I'm not aware of? What and who else are we jeopardizing? I want every single detail."

"He's threatened my family, Gale's family…and you."

"Directly? He directly threatened us?"

"Well…no…he said my loved ones."

Peeta's expression when he turns to me is entirely unreadable.


	5. Day 5: One Last Day

**AU in which witches and wizards exist and the Hunger Games do not.**

* * *

**Everlark Week  
Day 5: One Last Day**

"No, no…Peeta, come on, you need to stay with me here." Sweat rolls down the side of Katniss's face, joining the stream of tears. She keeps a firm grasp on Peeta's hand with one of her hands, while her other hand brushes stray blonde hairs from Peeta's eyes. Bitterly, she looks down at the wound from the hooded archer's arrow. The one day she decided to take Peeta to the woods…this is what happened.

"Peeta, please—"

It's the sound of footsteps behind her that make Katniss tense up. She turns slowly and finds the hooded archer standing over her. She grabs her own bow and hesitantly points an arrow up. The attempt is futile – she knows it – because this guy doesn't seem to be afraid of anything. The two stare for a long time before Katniss catches sight of the faint purple aura around the bow and quiver and arrows.

"I can give it to you," the hooded archer says, voice low.

"You've already taken him—"

"I know what you want. You long for one last day with him. To tell him all of the things you've never before said to him. You realize now what you want to say. Thoughts you haven't realized have been brought up because he's dead. You want one last day with him, to tell him everything. I can give you one last day."

Katniss realizes then that the hooded archer isn't your typical outlaw. This is someone who practices witchcraft. Wizardry. This is a wizard before her.

"What's the catch?" Katniss asks quietly.

"If you receive your one last day with this boy, it will not be him who dies. It, instead, will be you who loses your life. If you choose so, I will grant you your one wish, and today will be completely redone from nine o'clock this morning. It will go on for twenty-four hours. At nine o'clock in the morning tomorrow, you will die, and your wish will be over."

Katniss turns the options over in her head. No wish, and Peeta is dead forever. Wish, and the day will be redone, but Katniss will die in twenty-four hours.

"Will either of us have any recollection of today…as in today, today?"

"Only you shall."

"What happens if I tell him about the deal?"

"Nothing, only that he knows."

Katniss hesitates. _He's dead…but if I make this wish…strike the deal…he'll be alive. But then I'll die._

"Alright. I wish I could do this entire day over."

"Your wish shall be granted."


	6. Day 6: Peeta in Thirteen

**Everlark Week  
Day 6: Peeta in Thirteen**

_**Mutt.**__ Not a mutt.__** She's a mutt, can't you see?**__ No, no she's not. She's Katniss, she's the girl I've had a crush on since we were five! __**She's a mutt. She's the reason 12 was bombed and your family and friends are dead. She's the reason for the rebellion.**__ Shut up! You don't know what you're saying! You're hijacked! __**I know the truth.**__ No, you don't! Snow tricked you! __**She's a mutt and she's going to kill you. She'll kill you, Finnick, Annie, Johanna, Haymitch—**__Shut up!_

Peeta jolts in his bed in the infirmary wing of the underground base. Sweat rolls down the side of his head as he looks around, eyes searching the room for anyone. He finds nothing but blank walls, the blank tile floor, and the door leading to the rest of the infirmary.

_**She's the reason you're scared. In pain. Suffering. **__No, she's not! Stop it! __**In the first Games, she killed the little girl. She almost got you killed. She mercilessly slaughtered every one of the Careers.**__ No, no, no…one of the Careers killed Rue! Katniss killed some of the Careers but with a good reason! __**Lies. All lies that the rebels are telling you. Snow told you the truth. Katniss can't be trusted. She'll kill you eventually. She's just waiting for the right time.**__ Please stop! Just be quiet! Let me out of here! She needs to know that I'm still here! The real me! __**Sorry, Peeta. There's no time for that. I'm trying to give you the facts, but you're just being stubborn. She'll kill you. She'll come in with that bow of hers and then shoot an arrow straight through your heart. **__Stop it! She wouldn't do that, I know she wouldn't! Just shut up!_

Peeta clutches the bed railing with an iron-hard grip, trying his hardest to force the hijacked thoughts away from him. Vague memories flash through his head – the bread, the reaping, the train, the chariots, the training, the Games, the Victory Tour, the second reaping, the second trip to the Capitol as tributes, the second Games. His breath comes in short, shaky gasps.

_The Victory Tour. Snow never showed me footage of that. You see? Katniss and I love each other. We held each other every night on the train. __**That's what they want you to think. That's what they told you. In reality, they kept Katniss locked away from you so she couldn't kill you. It's a wonder you both came out of the first Games together. She's insane, Peeta.**__ She needs someone to help her! She's insane because we've given her all the reasons to be. She's only seventeen and she's already been through two Hunger Games, near starvation, and the death of her father! __**A sob story. Really, Katniss was better off than anyone. They carted her father away so he could be safe and left her mother and sister to deal with her themselves. She's a danger to you and everyone else.**__ No, no, no! Katniss had to provide for her family! She cares!_

Peeta's eyes snap wide open. He tries to lunge from the bed, but quickly realizes his wrists have been chained down. He pulls hard against the shackles, but only gets pulled back to the bed. His breath comes in shallow gasps again as he tries to tear himself out.

_**Peeta in thirteen. What were they thinking? Katniss will kill you. You need to kill her.**_

A single word escapes his lips.

"Mutt."


	7. Day 7: Grow Back Together

**Last day! I'll be posting mainly one-shots after this until I can get a decent story going.**

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**Everlark Week  
Day 7: Grow Back Together**

It's the middle of the night when Katniss hears the screaming from next door. It's been two weeks since Peeta moved back in. The girl stands up and looks out the window. From there, she can see into Peeta's room. Peeta clutches the blankets and screams, but he's still asleep. _Nightmares._ Katniss sits back down on the edge of her bed, contemplating whether or not to go to Peeta's house. The venom of his hijacking still flows through him. _Do I want to risk being killed by Peeta in the midst of a midnight episode?_

And then she hears her name being called in the darkness. Katniss peers out of the window again to find Peeta, breathing heavily as he leans against the window at his house.

"How'd you know I was awake?" Katniss calls across to Peeta.

"Your window…it was open. I believe I'm the one who always sleeps with the window open. But…um…anyway, I have a question…"

"Come on over," Katniss interrupts, waving her hand. "I'm going to open the door now." Peeta nods, and leaves the window. Katniss walks down the stairs and pulls open the door just as the blonde boy comes down the sidewalk to her house.

"I'm sorry if I'm bother—"

"You're not bothering me. I swear. Besides…I was debating whether or not to go to your house and wake you up, anyway. Come on upstairs. Do you remember doing this on the train?" Peeta nods.

"That's one thing that Snow couldn't touch. He didn't have any videos of us sleeping on the train that he could mess with." Katniss nods as they walk back up to Katniss's room. Katniss and Peeta climb underneath the covers. Just like on the train, they grab onto one another as they fall asleep that night.

…

That night marks the start of when Katniss and Peeta begin to grow back together. Every night for the next two weeks, Peeta comes over to Katniss's house and sleeps alongside her, holding her tightly. Each morning they both have breakfast, and then part ways for the afternoon. Katniss finally picks herself up and hunts again; Peeta begins to bake again. Slowly, they piece their lives back together.


End file.
